AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 14, 2025

Emma Raducanu

Press Conference

E. RADUCANU/E. Alexandrova

7-6, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Emma, solid performance today. How happy were you to get that done in straight sets?

EMMA RADUCANU: Yeah, I'm very pleased to have come through that match. It was difficult. It was quite hot out there, getting quite sunny. Obviously playing against a really experienced and seeded opponent who is playing great tennis.

Yeah, I think I'm very proud of how I fought and how I overcame certain situations in that match.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. It looked as though you changed the grip slightly on your serve. What is the reasoning behind that? How are you finding that process?

EMMA RADUCANU: Yeah, I mean, honestly, I'm not sure what I changed in my serve today. I think it had a mind of its own (laughter). I will be sure to reflect, look at that and come back to you (smiling).

Q. On the serve, must have been disconcerting. How did you deal with that mentally?

EMMA RADUCANU: Yeah, I think accepting the situation. I think in the first set I was hitting a lot of good first serves. I hit a few aces. In the same time I was hitting a double-fault. I was, like, quite accepting that, Okay, I'm at least going for it.

I think as the balls got heavier, it was a lot more difficult. As I think more kept coming, it was not easy to kind of refocus, but I knew that even if I was down, I have great returns. It was good to be able to rely on other parts of my game today that I know are quite strong, as well.

Yeah, I'm just very proud that I didn't let it affect me too much and let the match run away from me.

Q. You play Amanda. Both of you had big breakouts as teenagers. Can you talk about the challenges of having breakthroughs at a young age?

EMMA RADUCANU: I think there are challenges in the sense of obviously you get a lot of attention. Maybe certain decisions are judged or what you're doing is potentially criticized.

At the same time I feel like it's given us a great platform to be able to have opportunities, to be able to invest in our team, to be able to enjoy playing on big courts, for example.

So even though there comes challenges, I think I want to look at the positive and optimistic side, as well.

Q. When you are working on a shot, especially the serve, how difficult is it to trust that fully when you go into a match?

EMMA RADUCANU: Yeah, I would say the serve is quite a key shot in the game. Obviously starting the point. I think the thing about it is it's very important to not let it trickle into the rest of your game. Maybe when you're not committing as much on it, it kind of seeps through maybe the first ball after you're a bit more under the pump.

I've had experience having teething problems with it, I'd say, and then being able to come back and fix it for the next match. Yeah, I'm looking forward to kind of getting back out on the court tomorrow and working on it.

Q. How important do you think it was to avoid the deciding set because physically you haven't played any matches at all recently?

EMMA RADUCANU: Yeah, I think it was quite a long match. I think we were on the court for, like, 2 hours 20. Yeah, first match of the season. I haven't necessarily played outdoors for a long time, since Seoul.

I think for me playing two sets was good, but equally, I felt pretty fit out there. Right now I feel good, as well, in my body. I think it's just a testament to the work I'm starting to do off the court.

I didn't necessarily feel, like, any restrictions.

Q. Playing at 11 in the morning, Frances Tiafoe was talking about eating rice and chicken at 10 a.m. and then not eating anything for five hours and vomiting up electrolytes. Can you talk about what yours meals look like on a day like today when you are playing a long match in the middle of the day because you basically played through lunch?

EMMA RADUCANU: No, I mean, it's also, like, a very early wake-up. I think for me I struggle to eat when I open my eyes first thing. I actually was pretty light this morning. I just had some berries and a coffee before I practiced.

After practice, I just had toast, like plain toast with honey and banana. Pure carb-loading. I couldn't stomach some rice and salmon. I'll be sure after this to get my salmon and take in for the day (smiling).

Q. You have a lot of Grand Slam experience now. Do you feel any nerves coming into the majors, the first one of the season?

EMMA RADUCANU: I think first rounds there's always nerves. I feel like every player in the draw would think that. I think it's just about overcoming it and getting through first rounds.

I love playing the slams. I love playing the big tournaments, of course. But you do feel a little bit more, like, excitement and buzz at these tournaments, especially with how busy it is. When you walk around, there's a lot going on.

It's just important to stay focused and in your zone. I think I'm doing a good job with that, just how I go about my day and business. That's all I can do, and I'm just going to keep doing it.

Q. It doesn't get any easier on paper. You have Amanda Anisimova next. What do you know about her?

EMMA RADUCANU: I know she's a big ball-striker. She hits the ball really hard. Practiced with her a couple times. Yeah, she likes to dictate. So I think it's going to be a big challenge for me, of course. She's had some amazing results, as well. She broke out really early.

I'm looking forward to going out there and testing my game and seeing where I'm at.

Q. There was obviously a time when everything was very new for you. You had a Grand Slam already. How familiar does all of this feel now? This is your fourth Australian Open. You've seen this place a lot.

EMMA RADUCANU: Yeah, it's nice when you know where certain things are. You don't necessarily feel, yeah, completely lost, I'd say, and you know your way around.

I think I do feel more comfortable just with the way I'm operating. I feel like that brings me a lot of security, just knowing I have routines that I stick to, knowing I have good people around me, as well. We just continue with the work really.

My goal this year, it's not to be too high or too low, keeping pretty level. Even after today, it's great to win a match on tour for a few months. I think I just want to look at it, celebrate it for what it is, and just kind of move on.

That's going to be the same when I do lose a match this year. Yeah, it's not going to be a disaster either.

Q. How much does your fitness program and the exercises you're doing, how much do they change compared to what you were doing before? Is it completely different? How does that work?

EMMA RADUCANU: Yeah, I mean, I would say it is a little bit different. I'm someone who's very flexible and quite hypermobile. I think that's where a lot of my niggles have come from in the past, not having necessarily the amount of strength at end ranges.

That's something I'm working on now, trying to limit any niggles and injuries. We have just started at it, so I want to see how that goes.

Q. Felt like you produced some of your best tennis in the two tiebreaks, especially the second one. Is that something you feel you can rely on in your game, that you will peak in the most important times? Have you always had that?

EMMA RADUCANU: Yeah, I think that is a part of my game that is one of my strengths, I'd say. When it gets to those clutch moments, I mean I relish playing in that.

There's obviously a lot of nerves. If you channel it and use it as excitement and buzz... I played two great tiebreaks in the first round of Wimbledon this year. Last year I played a very good tiebreak.

Like, it's good to have that confidence in big moments. At the same time, tiebreaks can go either way. It's never a good thing to just rely on your tiebreak. You would ideally close it out. But when it comes to it, it doesn't always go your way. It's good to just have that confidence.